Cupola charging bucket



Dec. 26, 1950 Filed May 20', 1946 A. G; WALLSWORTH ET AL ,535,179

CUPOLA CHARGING BUCKET 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 ATTORNE Dec. 26, 1950 A. e. WALLSWORTH ET AL 2,535,179

CUPOLA CHARGING BUCKET 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 20, 1946 INVENTORS 5M 6 M ADM-4 5W ATTORNEY Dec. 26, 1950 A. G. WALLSWORTH ET AL 2,535,179

CUPOLA CHARGING BUCKET Filed May 20, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Jzy 11 1 n 41 iHh- INVYENTORS I ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 26, 1950 CUTOLA CHARGING BUCKET Allan G. Wallsworth and Edwin C. Nielsen, Milwaukee, Wis., assignors to Harnischfeger Corporation, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application May 20, 1946, Serial No. 671,036

4 Claims. (Cl. 294-71) This invention relates to cupola charging buckets and it resides more specifically in an improved form of the same in which an open ended bucket body is provided with hinged doors at the bottom thereof which may swing downwardly to completely clear the bottom of the bucket body so as to permit free discharge of any object which may be contained within the body and in which door controlling suspending means are associated with the bucket body so as to cause closure of said doors when the bucket is suspended thereby, the bucket being provided with independent supporting means for sustaining the same when it is desired to open the doors for discharging purposes.

An object of this invention is to provide a cupola charging bucket which may be opened at the bottom to freely discharge any object contained within the bucket.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cupola charging bucket compact in structure adapted to transport and discharge into a cupola a charge of maximum dimensions.

Another object of this invention is to provide a cupola charging bucket adapted to be conveniently handled by conventional cupola charging cranes and to be rugged and free of parts easily damaged during charging and discharging of the same. Another object of this invention is to provide a cupola charging bucket the interior of which is free of obstructions which would limit the dimension of articles to be carried therein.

Heretofore cupola charging buckets have been provided with a body open at the top and the bottom with the bottom arranged to be closed by a conical bell having a central upstanding stem. Such a bucket is arranged to be handled by conventional cupola charging cranes having a bail which may engage trunnions extending from the sides of the bucket and having hoisting lines which extend to and engage the stem of the discharging bell. In such a. bucket the interior thereofis obstructed by the central upstanding stem with the result that scrap pieces of maximum size and shape which otherwise might be accommodated within the bucket cannot be loaded. This means that scrap in order to be handled by such a bucket must be reduced in its dimensions, an operation which adds materially to the cost of the scrap. Furthermore, when a bucket is discharged by lowering of the discharging bell the path of movement of the escaping material is obstructed by the presence of the bell. This again limits the size of. scrap pieces which may be handled. Another disadvantage of this construction lies in the presence of the stem within the bucket at the time a charge is being placed into the bucket. Heavy pieces of scrap striking the stem cause its rapid deterioration and frequent replacement becomes necessary.

By means of this invention a bucket is provided the interior of which is entirely free and unobstructed so that scrap of any size sufiiciently small to enter the bucket may be handled. At the time a charge is placed in the bucket of this invention no obstruction exists and no structure is exposed to the action of the material being loaded therein which may suffer damage. Upon discharging a load within a cupola the bucket of this invention is opened at the bottom completely so as to permit ready escape of any material contained within the bucket.

This invention is herein described by reference to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof and in which there is set forth by way of illustration and not of limitation one form in which the apparatus of this invention may be embodied.

Fig. 1 is a side view in elevation of one form of the apparatus of this invention with the parts disposed in discharging position;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail plan View in section of supporting trunnion and the discharging slide and its guiding members of the apparatus shown. in Fig. 1 viewed through the plane 2-2 there indicated;

Fig. 3 is a top plan View of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 with the parts disposed in closed position;

Fig. 4 is a side view in elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 with the parts disposed in closed position;

Fig. 5 is a detailed view in section of the detachable tong assembly of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 with the parts disposed in released position, the same being viewed through the plane 5--5 indicated in Fig. 3, and

Fig. 6 is a side view in elevation with parts broken away and in section of the apparatus shown in Fig. l.

The apparatus as shown in the drawings is made up of a cylindrical, open-ended charging bucket I to which supporting trunnions 2 are rigidly attached. Attachment of the trunnions 2 is by means of welds 3 appearing more clearly in Fig. 2. and this attachment is reinforced by means of welds 5 joining the trunnions 2 to reinforcing plates 4 which extend vertically along the sides of the bucket I. The reinforcing plates 4 as more clearly appears in Fig. 2 are secured by welding to vertical spacer strips 6 which are in turn attached to the bucket I by welding.

The reinforcing plates 4 also serve as a base for vertical guiding ways formed by vertical filler pieces I and inwardly overhanging cover bars 8 secured in place by means of screws 9 as more clearly appears in Fig. 2. Mounted for sliding movement in the guiding ways thus provided is a vertically movable closing slide II] which is slotted vertically throughout a substantial part of its length so as to straddle the trunnions 2. Bridging the top open ends of the slots in the closing slides Iii are attachment pins II rigidly held in place by means of mounting ears I2. Secured to the lower ends of the slides I and extending laterally therefrom are closing bar jaws I3 arranged to embrace and rigidly hold transversely extending closing bars I4.

The bucket thus far described is adapted to be carried and handled by a conventional cupola charging crane having the usual discharging bail I and hoisting lines IS. The bucket hoisting lines It are attached as shown to a tong assembly generally designated I'I made up of a pair of downwardly facing C-shaped sidepieces I8 spaced from one another as shown. Pivotally mounted between the side pieces I8 near the lower ends thereof are latching rockers IS. The i upper ends of the rockers I9 are pivotally attached as appears in Figs. 5 and 6 to connecting links 20 which in turn make pivotal connection with the ends of a pivotally mounted rocker arm 2| carried upon and secured to a shaft 22 at the center of the side plates I8. The shaft 22 is provided with a rigidly attached handle 23 permitting an operator to shift the rocker arms I9 to and from the positions shown in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6. The lower ends of the side plates I8 are notched as appears more clearly in Fig. 5 so as to embrace part of the periphery of the pins II and in this way the tong assembly ll may be attached to or released from the closing slides It for a purpose to be more fully described hereinafter. The hoist cables I ii pass around sheaves 24 carried in the end of the crane boom 25 which also serves as a support for the discharging bail I 5.

Hingedly attached to hinge supports ZB- secured to the bottom of the bucket I are a pair of dumping doors 21-27. The doors 2'I--2I are shaped as appears more clearly in Fig. 1 soas to hang downwardly in a position where substantially the entire bottom opening of the bucket I is clear. Pivotally attached to the ends of the closing bars I i are connecting links 28 which are in turn pivotally connected to the doors 2? as shown. By reason of this construction motion of the closing slides I!) is coordinated with movement of the doors 2'I2I.

When in use bucket I may be discharged of its contents within a cupola by bringing the parts to the position shown in Fig. 1. Thereafter the bucket I may be prepared for withdrawal from the cupola charging door by first taking in on the cables I5. In doing so the tong assembly Ii, attached to the closing slides Ill, causes them to move upwardly and close the doors 27. Continued hoisting then raises the bucket I to the position shown in Fig. 4 in which position the trunnions 2 have been lifted free of the discharging bails I5. Thereafter or during such movement the crane may transport the bucket I horizontally to the desired position for reloading.

bucket body,

By means not shown but forming a familiar part of conventional charging crane equipment the bail I5 may then be swung so as to move from beneath the trunnions 2. The bucket I may then be lowered to the charging clock by paying out cables I6. When the bucket I is landed on the charging dock, an operator, by actuating handle 23, may disconnect the tong assembly I! from the pins II to facilitate reloading. The bucket I may then be freely charged through its unobstructed upper end and after its charging, the tong assembly Il may be re-attached. To transport such a charge to the cupola cables I6 are again taken in, hoisting the bucket I to the position shown in Fig. 4. The full bucket may then be introduced through the cupola charging door, the bail I5 lowered, and the cables I5 paid out until the position shown in Fig. 1 is reached. Thereupon the contents of the bucket I are free to be discharged downwardly into the cupola Without obstruction.

By reason of the shape of the doors 2'! and their relationship to the bucket I the maximum transverse dimensions of the bucket of this invention are very little different in closed and in open position. By reason of this a bucket fairly closely approximating the transverse'dimensions of the cupola stack may be employed thus permitting a very substantial charge to be introduced into the cupola with each load.

During re-filling of the bucket at the loading dock removal of the tong assembly I'I leaves the open upper end of the bucket I entirely unobstructed. Rapid introduction of the charge ingredients therefore is facilitated.

We claim:

1'. In a cupola charging bucket an open ended bucket body, door means hingedly attached near the bottom of said bucket body at a hinge line disposed exterior to the bottom openin of said body, said door means being adapted to be raised to close said bottom opening, door-controlling suspension-means vertically movable with respect to said bucket body and cooperatively engaging said door means adapted to cause and maintain closure of said door means when a suspending force is applied thereto, detachable hoisting means adapted to be secured to said doorcontrolling suspension-means, trunnions secured to and extending laterally from the sides of said bucket body, and a discharging bail having hooked lower free ends spaced to engage said trunnions independently supported at a pre-de termined elevation in the path of vertical movement of said bucket and being swingable from a position in which said trunnions are engaged to a position beyond the path of vertical movement of said trunnions, said ball being adapted when in engagement with said trunnions to support said bucket body at a pre-determined elevation and while so supporting said bucket body to permit lowering of said door-controlling suspension-means and the opening of said doors.

2. In a cupola charging bucket an open ended downwardly swinging gravity opened doors hingedly attached to the bottom of said bucket body at hinged lines disposed exterior to the bottom opening of said body, said doors being adapted to be raised to close said bottom opening, door-controlling suspensionmeans vertically movable with respect to said bucket body and cooperatively engaging said doors adapted to cause and maintain closure of said doors when a suspending force is applied thereto, detachable hoisting means adapted to be secured to said door-controlling suspension means trunnions secured to and extending laterally from the sides of said bucket body, and a discharging support adapted to engage said trunnions the same being independently supported at a pre-determined elevation in the path of vertical movement of said bucket and being movable from a position in which said trunnions are engaged to, a position beyond the path of vertical movement of said trunnions, said discharging support being adapted when in engagement with said trunnions to support said bucket body at a pre-determined elevation and while so supporting said bucket body to permit lowering of said door-controlling suspension means and the openin of said doors.

3. In a cupola charging bucket an open ended bucket body, a pair of downwardly swinging gravity opened door means hingedly attached to the bottom of the bucket body at hinge lines disposed exterior to the bottom opening of said body, said door means being adapted to be raised to close said bottom opening, a pair of door controlling slides vertically movable with respect to said bucket body, a suspension tong adapted to be secured to the tops of said slides, closing links cooperatively engagin the bottoms of said slides and said doors adapted to cause and maintain closure of said door means and support said bucket when a suspending force is applied to said tong, trunnions secured to and extending laterally from the sides of said bucket body, and a discharging bail having hooked lower free ends spaced to engage said trunnions independently supported at a. pre-determined elevation in the path of vertical movement of said bucket and being swingable from a, position in which said trunnions are engaged to a position beyond the path of vertical movement of said trunnions, said bail being adapted when in engagement with said trunnions to support said bucket body at a, pre-determined elevation and while so supporting said bucket body to permit lowering of said door-controlling suspension-means and the opening of said doors.

4. In a cupola charging bucket an open ended bucket body, a pair of downwardly swinging doors hingedly attached to the bottom of the bucket body at hinge lines disposed exterior to the bottom opening of said body, said doors being adapted to be raised to close said bottom opening, a, pair of trunnions secured to said bucket body, a vertically movable forked door-controlling slide slidingly embracing each of said trunnions extending upwardly to a tong attachment end and downwardly to a door link end, door links pivotally connecting said doors to the door link ends of said slides, a detachable suspension tong adapted to detachably grip the tong attachment ends of said door controlling slides, and a discharging bail having hooked lower free ends spaced to engage said trunnions independently supported at a pre-determined elevation in the path of vertical movement of said bucket and being swingable from a position in which said trunnions are engaged to a position beyond the path of vertical movement of said trunnions, said bail being adapted when in engagement with said trunnions to support said bucket body at a pre-determined elevation and while so supporting said bucket body to permit lowering of said suspension tong and the opening of said doors.

ALLAN G. WALLSWORTH. EDWIN C. NIELSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 885,613 Hamilton Apr. 21, 1908 992,724 Lockwood May 16, 1911 1,178,037 Stuebner Apr. 4, 1916 1,754,620 Forrestel Apr. 15, 1930 

